Public’s view on Mormonism unchanged after Romney candidacy

While a major party, for the first time, nominated a Mormon candidate for president, attitudes in general about Mormonism remained essentially unchanged, according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted in early December.

The vast majority of respondents, 82 percent, claimed they learned nothing new about Mormonism during the campaign, although an earlier Pew analysis found that there was twice as much religion-related coverage of Romney than of President Obama.

Three-in-ten Americans do not consider Mormonism a form of Christianity — essentially unchanged from previous Pew polls.

However, fewer Americans now consider Mormonism “very different” from their own religion, although the difference is not substantial: 61 percent now, compared to 65 percent in November 2011. Compared to white Evangelicals and white Catholics, “White mainline Protestants” especially saw an increase in the percent claiming that Mormonism had much in common with their own beliefs — moving from 28 percent in 2011 to 42 percent now.